Burial vault



May 18,1926.

J. C. MILLER y BURIAL VRULT Filed Nov. l2, 1925 7n Z.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented May ljhllilllil insane sereni series.

JOHN C. MELLER, F MUSGATHIE, OWA.

BURIAL VAULT.

Application filed November 12, 1925.

rlhis invention relates to burial vaults and has for an important object thereofthe pro# duction of a metallic burial vault.

An important object of the invention is n to provide means for forming between the tray and cover, of which suoli vaults are usually constructed, a seal which will etl'ectually prevent entrance of air and moisture to the vault.

A further object of the invention is to produce a seal of this character in the process et construction of the tray and to so form the seal that this seal may be produced about its edges and the entire structure 'loi-med from sheet metal,

A still further objectof the invention is to provide an economical structure of this character in which the waste material is reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure of this character in which the formation of the tray and cover is such that the seal is etfectually obscure 'trom View and does not mar the external appearance of the assembled vault.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a device of this character a tray so constructed that its bottom is well spaced from the ground and the spacing elements provide a novel and secure mounting for carrying handles by means of which the vault may be transported.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying i drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein z- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved burial vault;

4') Figure 2 is an end view, the cover beingy broken away;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the tray; Figure i is an enlarged sectional view on the line 1 -1l of Figure 1 looking in the dii rection indicated by the arrows;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 11, on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 6 is adetail sectional view on .the line 6-6 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows:

Figure is a detail sectional view on the line 7-7 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showingl the manner in which the ends and Serial No. 68,667.

sides of the cover are connected at their lower portions by corner plates;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in which the tray is formed;

Figure 10 is a detail elevation of one of the corner plates of the tray.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the tray T comprises a flat rectangular bed plate 10 having depending side and end walls 11 and 12 which are continued to f orin inverted base channel members 13 extending throughout the length of said walls and provided with inner up! turned side iianges 14,y The body of the tray is formed of a single sheet of suitable resilient sheet metal which is bent into shane, but before bending, the sheet is cut away at the corners thereofso that, as shown in Figure 9, openings 15 remain at the meeting ends of the channel members of the side and end walls 11 and 12. Between the bed plate 10 and the side and end walls the metal is bent downwardly to form a U- shaped channel 16 extending along the sides and ends of the bed plate and is then bent upwardly to form a stepped inverted U-shaped rib 17 merging into the side and end wall. It will be noted that the channel 16 and rib 17 combine to form a substantially ogee cross section forming a connection between the edges of the bed plate 10 and the side and end walls 11 and 12.

As seen in Figure 9, the base channel meinbers of the side walls 11 are notched attheir ends to accommodate the ends of the base channel members ofthe end walls at which points the walls of said members are brazed together or otherwise rigidly connected and, as will be perceived, it is necessary to cut away only a small portion of the original metal sheet in order that the body of the bed plate and its side and end walls may be fashioned. Closing the openings 15 are corner plates 18, one of which is shown in detail in Figure 10. These plates are preferably fashioned from scraps of the stock used to form the body of the tray and are provided at their upper ends with lugs 19 shaped to conform to the curvature of the channel 16 and rib 17 while at their lower ends said plates are provided with lugs 20, The several corner plates are formed to snug.- ly fit in the openings 15 and are brazed or otherwise rigidly secured in position at their edges S0 that the fside and end ,walls of lll() llU al tl the tray as Well as the base channel meinbers 13 are thus rigidly connected With each other at the corners of the tray.

Fixed to the bed plate 10 are suitably located upstanding pegs or knobs 2l upon which a casket may be rested. In the present instance, I have shown the use ot tour ot' said pegs but a greater number may be employed it deemed necessary. In Figure 2 ot the drawings, l have conventionally illustrated a casket at 22 and, as ivill be observed, the pegs support the casket above the bed plate oi the tray so that moisture Will be prevented 'from collecting on the bottom oi the casket.

Slidable through the side Walls 11 ot the tray and through the adjacent inner side flanges 11i ot the channel members 13 are substantially U-shaped lhandles 23, and, as shown in Figure Z1, the handles are located close to the bottom ot said channel members While, as brought out in Figure?, the side rods 24?; et said handles are provided at their inner tree ends with oppositely turne'cl stop lugs adapted to engage the flanges 1.4L tor limi. the handles in their outward movement. Thus, the luuidles may be di .,:ivn out to the limit of their increment uhen said handles may be readily grasped for carrying the vault ivhile, When desired, said handles may be pushed inwardly to inactive position out ot' theivay, and it is novv to be observed that the channel members 13 ot the tray are relatively wide.` The bottom Walls et said members thus provide a broad bearing area tor the tray so that the tray will not sinh into the soil when the vault is seated on the ground.

Mating ivith the tray ot the vault is a cover C tor enclosing the casket, 22.I rlhis cover is provided with an arched top Wall QG, side walls 2.7, and end walls 23, which are all preferably 'formed from a single sheet of suitable resilient sheet metal bent into shape, and fixed to the side Walls of the cover are suitable handles 28. it the lou-er portion ot the cover, the side Walls 2T are bent obliquely outward While, as best seen in Figure 3, the end ivalls are bent obliquely outward to torni a flared apron se. y are then reverted beneath said apron in spaced relation thereto and have their extremities bent to form a substantiallyT LL shaped channel 31 which n'iergesinto an inverted substantially tl-shaped rib 32, the channel andsaid rib termin-g a, g substantially ogee cross section lilie the corresponding portion ofthe tray.

The in'eetine"- edgesot the side and end Walls ot theroverare brazed together or otherwise rigidly connected doivn to the apron 30, but' since saidivalls are liaredto torni 'the apron, openings 33ers producedat the corners ot--the4 cover' at -theapron.

The lower margins 30a oi said apronl portion ot Closing said openings are corner plates 34: preferably -fashioned from scraps ot the material trom which the body of the cover is Yformed and are provided at their lower ends with tongues 35 bent to contorni to the contour oi the channel 31 and rib The corner plates snugly lit in the openings 33 and are brazed or otherwise rigidly connected at their edges to the meeting edges oi" tle side and end vvalls for iirinly securing the corner plates in position. rl`hus, when the cover is finished, the apron 30 is unbroken and the channel 31 and rib 32 entend unbrokenly beneath the apron 3 along the sid and end Walls oi the cover. At this pont, it may be Well to emphasize the tact that by cniploying the corner plates upon the tray and cover it is, as will be' perceived, possible to form these parts with but very slight Waste oit-material.

lilhen the cover is applied to the tray, the apron 30, as particularly shown in Figures fr and ii, overhang the tray atl the sides and ends thereotI and the channel 3l ot the cover lits over the rib 17 ot the tray `While the rib 32 of the cover tits into the channel 16 oit the tray. Previously, the channel 16 is partially iilled withvvhite lead or a suitable cement and the rib 1T is coated with the same material so that, when the cover is applied, the cement is caused to ilow upivardly in the channel 16 along the sides ot the rib32 and over the rib 17 into the channel 31 and along the sides thereot. A primary Ufshapcd seal 36 is thus provided between the rib 32 and channel lG'While a lil-1e secondary sl-shaped seal 37 isl provided between the channel 31 and rib 17'. The vault will thus be hermetically closed and the possibility of leC lrage efllectually avoided. Attention is directed to the tact that the loiver outer edge ot the apron projects below this seal so that the saine is etectually hidden tronrviciv when the cover is in applied posit-ion and the vault accordingly given a smooth nished appearance upon its exterior.

it will be obvious that the construction hereinbeifore set 'forth is capable oi a certain range oit change and modification Without materially departing from the spirit ot the invcntioi'i and l accordingly do not. limit myscll' to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed. l

l. ln a sheet metal burial vault, a tray, a cover therefor, the tray comprising a base plate, a hollou7 rectangular supporting trame for the base plate, a continuous ogee molding connecting said trame and base. plate, an apron on said cover and a coacting ogee molding upon the under surface oty said apron adapted. to. interdigitate with the` molding ot the tray.

in av sheet metal burial vault, atrajyya removable*` cover.` therefor, the tray, com;

il li prising a base plate, a hollow rectangular supporting frame for the base plate, a continuous ogee molding connecting said frame and base plate, an apron on said cover and a. coacting ogee molding upon the under surface of said apron adapted to interdigitate with the molding of the tray, said frame being in the form of an upwardly opening channel member', said molding connecting` the uppper end of the outer wall of said channel member to the bed plate.

3. In a sheet metal burial vault, a tray, a cover therefor, the tray comprising a base plate, a hollow rectangular supporting frame for the base plate, a continuous ogee molding connecting said frame and base plate, an apron on said cover, a coacting ogee molding upon the Linder surface of said apron adapted to interdigitate with the molding of the tray, said frame being in the form of an upwardly openingl channel member, said molding connecting the upper end of the outer' wall of said channel member to the bed plate, and lifting handles for the vault each comprising irl-shaped members slidably directed through both the inner and outer wall of said channel member and the bight poirions arranged outermost to provide a hand grip, the ends of the arms of said handle members each being formed to provide stops limiting outward movement of the handle.

a. In a sheet metal burial vault, a tray, a cover therefor, the tray comprising a base plate, a hollow rectangular supporting frame for the base plate, a continuous ogee molding connecting said frame and base plate, an apron on said cover and a coacting ogee molding upon the under surface of said apron adapted to interdigitate with the molding of the tray and arranged wholly above the level of the lower edge of said apron.

In a sheet metal burial vault, a tray and a cover therefor, the tray comprising a rectangular base plate, a hollow rectangular supporting frame for the base plate of greater width and length than a base plate, said supporting frame being arranged beneath the base plate, a continuous ogee molding connecting said frame and base plate, the cover including an apron and a coacting ogee molding upon the under surface of said apron adapted to interdigitate with the molding of the tray.

6. In a sheet metal burial vault, a tray and a cover therefor, the tray comprising a rectangular base plate, a hollow rectangular supporting frame for the base plate of greater width and length than the base plate,

said supporting frame being arranged beneath the base plate, a continuous ogee molding connecting said frame and base plate, the cover including an apron and a coacting ogee molding upon the under surface of said apron adapted to inter-digitate with the molding of the tray, the apron inclining outwardly and downwardly, the ogee molding thereof being` disposed above the level of the lower edge of the apron,

7. In a sheet metal burial vault, a tray, a cover therefor, the tray comprising a base plate, a hollow rectangular supporting frame for the base plate, a continuous ogee molding connecting said frame and base plate, an outwardly and downwardly inclining apron upon the lower end of said cover, said apron having its end portions reverted and formed to provide a coacting ogee molding upon the under surface of said apron and at a point spaced above the lower end thereof.

8. In a burial vault, a tray, a cover therefor having about its lower edges an outwardly and downwardly inclining apron and coacting means upon the tray and upon the under surface of the apron at a point spaced above the lower edge of the apron for providing a seal between the cover and tray eXn tending completely about the edges thereof.

9. In a burial vault, a tray comprising a sheet having at its end and side edges channel members extending beneath the sheet to support the same and ogee molding connecting the outer walls of the channel members with the end and side edges of the sheet, corner members connecting adjacent ends of said channel members and said ogee molding to thereby provide a supporting channel and continuous molding for the sheet and a cover having a similarly constructed vcoacting molding.

10. In a burial vault, a tray comprising a sheet having at its end and side edges chair nel members extending beneath the sheet to support the same and ogee molding connecting the outer walls of the channel members with the end and side edges of the sheet, corner members connecting adjacent ends of said channel members and said ogee molding to thereby provide a supporting channel and continuous molding` for the sheet and a cover having a similarly constructed coacting molding, said cover member having at its lower edges a downwardly and outwardly extending apron upon the under surface of which said coacting molding is formed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiif; my signature:

JOHN o. MILLER.. 

